Process for performing catalytic reactions

Abstract

A process for performing catalytic reactions with intensive heat of reaction, in which a reaction mixture is conducted through a catalyst bed, from which the reaction heat is removed or to which it is fed by indirect heat exchange with a heat exchange medium. The catalyst bed adjoins at least one bed of a catalytically inert material, which also is in indirect heat exchange with the heat exchange medium.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a process for performing a catalytic reaction having an intense heat of reaction, in which a reaction mixture is conducted through a catalyst bed from which the reaction heat is removed, the improvement wherein a first catalyst bed adjoins an upstream granular bed of material which is catalytically inert with respect to the reactions in the adjoining first catalyst bed, passing said reaction mixture first through the upstream catalytically inert granular bed of material, then passing the reaction mixture through at least two catalyst beds and through a catalytically inert bed positioned therebetween, and passing a heat exchange medium successively through said beds and in indirect heat exchange therewith. 
     
     
       2. A process according to claim 1, wherien said reaction mixture and said heat exchange medium are passed overall countercurrently and vertically through said beds. 
     
     
       3. Process according to claim 1, wherien the reaction mixture is conducted alternatively and successively through a plurality of catalyst beds and plurality of catalytically inert beds positioned between the catalyst beds. 
     
     
       4. Process according to claim 1, wherein coreactants are fed successively to the reactor, the feeding of the coreactants taking place in the inert bed. 
     
     
       5. Process according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst bed is formed of a particulate catalyst and the particle size of the latter differs from that of the catalytically inert granular material. 
     
     
       6. Process according to claim 5, wherein packing material is used as the catalytically inert material. 
     
     
       7. Process according to claim 1, wherein a first catalytically inert bed is positioned upstream from the catalyst bed and a second catalytically inert bed is positioned downstream from the catalyst bed. 
     
     
       8. Process according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of catalyst beds are positioned between a plurality of catalytically inert beds. 
     
     
       9. Process according to claim 8, wherein the various beds are contained in a single reactor in which the beds are in direct contact with adjacent beds. 
     
     
       10. Process according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the reactant gases is fed only to the catalytically inert beds. 
     
     
       11. Process according to claim 10, wherein a portion of the reactant gases is fed to each of the catalytically inert beds. 
     
     
       12. A process according to claim 9, wherien said reaction mixture and said heat exchange medium are passed overall countercurrently and vertically through said beds. 
     
     
       13. A process according to claim 5, wherein said reaction mixture and said heat exchange medium are passed overall countercurrently and vertically through said beds.